Friday 4th January 2013

Dull, mild morning enlivened by 2 Harbour Porpoise & a Guillemot close in offshore & 6 Gadwal sat on the sea. On the move 12 Shelduck, 3 Common Scoter, 2 Great-crested Grebes, Wigeon & a Red-breasted Merganser south plus a Great-crest & a Curlew going north (i know it's mild but the Curlew can't be heading north to the breeding grounds already ?). A handful of Red-throated Divers going back & forth with the tide so low at one point 30 Cormorants were even hauled out on a sand bar in the distance.

Thursday 3rd January 2013

16 Waxwings south & into Essex suggesting that as they are eating their way through the berries of East Anglia they are still wandering in search of another bush to strip bare. If we knock the Red-throated Divers & Cormorants out of the equation starring out to sea was tedious to say the least producing just 21 Common Scoter & a Great-crested Grebe south. Ridiculously mild for the time of year.

Wednesday 2nd January 2013

Bit more interesting this morning staring out to sea with a gaggle of 6 Greylags & 3 White-fronts going south just offshore (we failed to record any white-fronts in 2012). Also of note a female Marsh Harrier going south at 0930hrs (not sure if we have ever this species in January here before !). The supporting cast consisted of 85 Common Scoter, 40 Knot, 5 Brent, 4 Shelduck, 2 Oyks, Grey Plover, Red-breasted Merganser & Great-crested Grebe going south plus a Great-crest north. Not really sure why there is any movement at all at the moment as we are not experiencing any cold weather anywhere. Also on the move Red-throated Divers (24 N 32 S + 2 close inshore just off the point again) & Cormorants (83 N 18 S) although most of this is just feeding movements well offshore. A Waxwing was just outside the recording area in the grounds of the Custom House along View Point Road. Finally a bit of late news for yesterday with a Great-northern Diver flying out of the estuary & out to sea over the observers head & at least 9 Meds (7 ads, 1 2nd winter, 1 1st winter).

TUESDAY 1st JANUARY 2013

Firstly on this glorious sunny winters day a happy new year to you all & whichever god takes your fancy please can you put in a request for a bird fest at Landguard in 2013. Sea watching for just over an hour first thing produced 19 Brent, 8 Kitts, Great-crested Grebe & Little Egret south plus comings and goings of 65 Red-throated Divers north 29 south, 4 Cormorants north 15 south. 3 Snow Bunts flew south along the beach but on a perambulation around the peninsula could not be re found so they may have kept going. What was pleasing to see were 3 Red-throated Divers fishing close in near the river mouth by the point which hopefully indicates that fish are coming closer in - most of the time divers here are well offshore so birds feeding close in are entertaining for the punters. The walk around also produced 2 Mute Swans going south but nowt else of note except that with the currant bun out this morning both Peregrine & Little Owl were sunning themselves.

2013 Membership

Will our existing members please note that subs for 2013 are now due. If you are not a member or a friend & you would like to support us then please consider joining. As a small local organisation & a registered charity we largely rely on our friends & members to keep the whole operation running. Further info on the relevant section of www.lbo.org.uk

DECEMBER RINGING TOTAL

15 birds of 7 species.

4 Chaffinch, 4 Blackbird, 2 Greenfinch, 2 Song Thrush, Goldfinch, Sparrowhawk & Woodcock.

Although it sounds pathetic this is the second largest total in the past seven years. Basically if mild winter ringing totals here are paltry.

Monday 31st December 2012

Grotty weather to end the year. A group of 8 Goosanders went south then turned inland which is reasonably notable for us. Also going south 54 Kitts, 13 Wigeon, 5 Shelduck, 4 Common Scoter, 3 Mallard, 2 Grey Plover & an adult Little Gull. A handful of Cormorants & Red-throated Divers also coming & going. 8 Meds (7 adults & a second-winter) were loitering around the View Point in the early afternoon. Nowt else worth reporting.

Sunday 30th December 2012

Merlin south at 0847hrs during 40 mins spent sea watching. Bit late for Merlin passage but we have had odd Merlin records in mid-winter in the past. Only other birds noted were 12 Brent, 8 Shelduck & an adult Little Gull south. A walk round the site in a gale was precisely that - a walk ! Afternoon update - 5 Waxwings dropped in.